Lamp starting device



y. 17, 2- I y H. M. ERDMANN 5 LAMP STARTING DEVICE Filed Jan. 18, 1930 H N m. E'RD ANN INVENTOR ATTORNEY I Patented May 17, 1932 are A s G QB o e a qm iqa Y 3on3. LNLj Y ACQBPOEATION"0F"NEWTYOItK f -ear QFElGEZ-L i 'srAnrrnG nnvron Application filed January 18, 1930. Serial No. 42;,678.

This invention relates to-starting devices for mercury arc lamps and similar apparatus.

It is an object of my invention to provide 6 a starting means for mercury arc lamps or similar electrical discharge devices, which is so arranged as to start operation of the lamp and then remain ineflective until it is intentionally made eifective again.

n the production of talking moving pictures it is important to have, as nearly as possible, a complete absence of all unnecessary noises and electrical disturbances. Mercury arc lamps equipped with starting 1 devices of the type heretofore known are unsuitable for use in the production of talking pictures because when one of the lamps becomes extinguished, the starting device thereof immediately starts to function so as to re- 1, f ignite the lamp, thereby producing aclicking,

noise. The noise produced by the ordinary starting device is sufficient to cause a serious disturbance, which will be made part of the sound record. Likewise,when the starting device serves to create a momentary high potential starting current, this starting current causes a disturbance in the recording of the sound if an electrical process is being used. This recording is usually .carried out by electrical recording apparatus, including plify the sound currents picked up through microphones. These amplifiers are sufiiciently powerful to pick up thedisturbing electrical waves as well, thereby impressing on the recording medium an undesired noise. In accordance with my invention I provide means responsive. to the initiation of operation of the lamp to render inactive the start- 0 ing mechanism thereof so that if the lamp later becomes extinguished, the starting dek v, P tained open by the action of holdingcbiPB,

vice will be unable to function. The lamp will therefore remain unlit until it is manually restored to'operation at an opportune moment. I accomplish this result by providing relay means which serves to open the energizing circuit of the starting device upon the creation of a self-sustained discharge through the tube.

f The objects and advantages of my inven- 11, contacts 9 of switch 8, conductor'i cuit of the inductance aproducin ahigh P n al S rg which S pp i tha ec y ture? in tilting under the attracting" for Y and holding coil I3", to the otherslideof j the a high power amplifier which serves to amy and 12.. The tube lis now in operat} anism willbe unable to repeat the starting meters '16: o render the 1 starting ee tion andthe manner of attainingthemwill be made clear in the following descrip and accompanying drawing. i In. the drawing, reference numeral 1 [indi i e' a mer y r ub br h 'li r ilfir 5:; electrical discharge device "re uirin starting potential, which is" suppli d" w'th current from a source of power any i 'f conductors 3 and 4. Connected in ser v the tubeis an inductance 5'aid aeqntre1 (59 switch 6. When the switch 6 is closed Tto' initiate-operation of the tube, 'a currentpasses through the conductor- 3,. ballast re ister end inductance 5, thereby nagnetiz'in'g cor "116.

Upon magnetization. of the core, tiltable ar- 'inature 7 is attracted thereto,thereby mercury switch 8 and" opening contacts 9 thereof. This causes a breakage in tha'oirhigh .potential 'for creating a. "discha e t hrouglrthe tube .1. Theinertiaofthe the core l6isi sufficienttofcause the glob-erect mercury within the switch 8 to case n cuit betwee: contact's'10, thereby causing an au i i ry-curren :a fl w. from/t ed ldll tw 3 through the ballast resistances 11 and so line- 'n a i Prf ebIY de of large numberof turnsof fiae'wiresoas't draw but smallamount of current. 'f' 'lhfe amount of:current may furtherbe proper selection of thevalue of r'e'si'sta rand wait it should later be extinguis'hedffor some reason, suchas a slight drop'lin line potential blast of cold air," the starting'mefcln operation because the contacts 9j aref 1n-- 5,

h c ik p t a matu .7 t p ed sainf againoperative, it is necessary momentarily" to open the switch 6 thereby'fdeenergizingg: the holding coil and permittin'g the' armature? 7 to: rotate to itsoriginal' positionfunder "lie-1- because of the fact that the surge of potential produced by the inductance 5 is not sutficient, the switch may be opened and closed a ain, whereupon another surge will be create While I have shown a mercury type switch at 8, it will be understood that any other type 'may be used if desired, it merely being necessary that the armature 7, in moving towards the core 16, break a pair of contacts at 9 and close a pair of contacts at 10. Likewise, the coil 13 may be dispensed with and a portion or all of the inductance 5 utilized to hold the January, 1930.

HANS M. ERDMANN.

armature 7 in tilted position. In this case the wire 15 will be connected either at some intermediate point of the coil 501* else on the load side thereof. I prefer, however, to utilize the holding coil 13, as shown, because such 1 an arrangement results in a smaller current consumption than the alternative form just mentioned. The function of condenser 17 is to prevent arcing at contacts 9 thereby increasing the potential generated by inductance 5; In similar manner condenser 10 prevents formation of arcs at contacts 10.

Itwill be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention is capable of a wide variety I of modifications and adaptions, and that the present disclosure is intended merely to illustrate its nature without limiting its scope which is defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. a lighting system, a lamp, a power source therefor, an inductance 1n series-with -said lamp, a circuit shunted directly across the terminals of said lamp, switching means responsive to energization of said inductance for opening said circuit and simultaneously closing a circuit through holding means for maintaining said switching means in operated position so that said circuit remains open.

source therefor, a starting device for creating a highpotential for startlng said lamp, a control switch actuating said starting device, and

' 'magnetic means for operating said control switch to create a high starting potential and "thereupon render said starting device ineffective until after said control switch is opened.

In a lighting system, a gaseous discharge lamp, a power source and a control switch therefor, a starting inductance in series with said lamp, a circuit for energizing said inductance independently of said lamp, 7 a switch in said circuit, means responsive to i 2. In a lighting system, a lamp, a power closure of said control switch for openingsaid switch, and means responsive to operation of said means first mentioned for holding said circuit open.

4. In a control circuit for an electrical discharge tube requiring a high starting potential, a source of power, and a starting means for said device, said means comprising i an inductance in series with said tube, a pair of contacts in shunt with said tube, means re- 

